Don’t Be Hit By These Hidden Charges When You Sign Up For Broadband

If your daily bedtime and morning ritual involves checking your Facebook, watch a few videos on YouTube, or just put on your music on Spotify full blast, you would appreciate a fast and stable broadband connection at home.

We’ve come a long way, from dial-up connection, wireless connection to now fibre broadband Internet connection at home.

As competition becomes rife in this part of the world, we have quite a few options when it comes to installing Internet at our home sweet home. However, if you are in the market for a good broadband package for your home, there are a few things that you should really consider.

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Broadband packages should not be chosen solely based on the monthly subscription prices, because there are a host of other charges you will need to compare to avoid being surprised with any additional charges when the time comes.

Today most Internet service providers (ISPs) offer to waive the high upfront cost that can come up to RM500 for cancellation or deposit. Other than the cancellation fee, there are still other hidden costs lurking in a broadband subscription that can catch you by surprise.

Here is a list of hidden cost and charges you need to consider for a broadband subscription in Malaysia:

1. Cancellation fee

Signing up for a home broadband package for 24 months only to realise that you need to move, and there’s no coverage wherever you are going? If you are not aware, terminating your subscription prior to the end of contract period can cost you half a grand.

Today, most home broadband packages come with contracts of at least 12 months, or if you are getting TIME home broadband, you are looking at 24 months contract. If you do change your mind due to whatever reasons, be prepared to fork out an exorbitant amount to exit your contract.

Here’s how much you are looking at for cancellation fees:

UniFi

TIME

Maxis

After 12 months

RM500

Not available

RM500

After 24 months

RM500 &
subscription fees
of remaining
months for HyppTV

RM500

RM500

For TM UniFi broadband packages, it would cost you RM200 to cancel your subscription, even if your connection is not installed yet but you’ve made an appointment with the installation team. If you are leaning towards getting a UniFi package, make sure you are going to be around for the full 24 months, because it does not allow cancellation waiver even in the first month of subscription, unlike TIME and Maxis.

Due to limited coverage for TIME, the ISP allows its subscribers to waive the termination fee if the move is due to unforeseen circumstances and the location that you are moving to is not covered by TIME. This is on a case-to-case basis with all the necessary supporting documents provided.

2. Non-resident deposit

Competitive pricing for high-speed broadband Internet connection caught your fancy? Unfortunately, if you are not a citizen or resident in Malaysia, you can expect to pay way more than the published prices for the fibre broadband subscriptions.

If you are non-Malaysians, you are required to fork out a few hundred bucks in cash as a deposit. However, certain ISPs like TIME Home Broadband Fibre, do allow waiver under certain condition, such as signing up for auto debit payment with a debit or credit card.

Here’s how much you can expect to pay if you are a non-resident in the country looking for home Internet connection:

UniFi

TIME

Maxis

N/A

RM500

RM500

TM UniFi is a much better option for foreigners in the country as they do not require additional deposit to sign up. This deposit is used to offset any outstanding payment on the subscription, in the event the subscribers fail to make monthly payment.

3. Voice call rates

Today broadband packages usually come bundled with IPTV such as HyppTV and Astro, and also a phone line. Some packages do offer certain amount of free talk time, such as 330 minutes or 600 minutes’ worth of FREE calls to all mobile and land lines in Malaysia respectively for Maxis Home Fibre Broadband packages.

However, ISPs like TIME and TM UniFi do not offer any free minutes for voice. If you like talking on the phone, it’s worth your penny to check out the call rates before you sign up for a plan.

UniFi

TIME

Maxis

Local call rates to
fixed line

RM0.20/minute

RM0.09/minute

RM0.05/minute

Nationwide call rates
to fixed line

RM0.20/minute

RM0.09/minute

RM0.09/minute

Call rates to local
mobile number

RM0.20/minute

RM0.09/minute

RM0.09/minute

IDD calls

N/A

60 countries
RM0.08/minute

N/A

Package

RM20/month for
600 minutes and a flat
rate of RM0.10/minute

TIME Voice Home
10 Plan
RM10/month for
2,000 minutes

N/A

UniFi offers one of the most expensive voice rates compared to TIME and Maxis. If you do make a lot of calls using your landline, then this could make or break your broadband deal. Maxis on the other hand offers the best rate for all local calls, and if you are a Maxis ONE mobile subscribers, you also get free unlimited calls and SMS on your mobile.

Very often, broadband subscribers make their decisions solely based on the monthly subscription fee, and only found out all the hidden charges when things go wrong.

These hidden charges are usually avoidable if you put them into consideration before you sign up for a broadband package. The trick is to shop around to make sure you truly are getting the best deal.

Looking for a broadband package for your home? Compare what’s available in the market and apply for a home fibre broadband here.